Improved bedstead-fastening



UNITED STATES ATENT Unteren.

JUSTUS DOERING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED BEDSTEAD-FASTENING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,167, dated September 13, 1864,

T0 all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JUSTUS DOERING, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in aplate, with aprojection, formed as described hereinafter, and combined with another plate in which is a depression, one plate `being attached to the side strip of a bedstead and the other to the post, so that the introduction of the projections on o te plate into the depression in the other will serve to secure the side piece and post to gether, and so that when together there can be no openings about the plates in which insects may collect.

In order to enable others skilled in theart to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying dra wings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a sine view, partly in section, of sutiicient ot' a bedstead to illustrate my iinprovement, Fig. 2, a section on the line 1 2, Fig. l, Fig. 3, a view on the line 3 4, looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. l; and Fig. 4, a detached view of part of the bedstead.

Similar letter s refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A and A are two of the posts of the bedstead, between which is the side piece, B. rIo tne end of the latter, near the upper edge, is secured a plate, c, on which is a projection, a, and in the side ofthe post A is a plate, C', in which is a depression -arranged for the reception of the projection a. In the end of the side piece, below the plate C, tits a plate, D, on the back of which is a lug, b, there being a hole in the lug into which, and through the side piece, B, passes a pin, o, which serves to retain the plate D in its place. On the outer face of the plate D is a dovetailed projection, d, which is narrowest at the lower end and curved at the top, as shown in Fig. 1. In the ft`h`e'dsi-(e-oheost A, below the plate C', is a plate, D', in which is a dovetailed recess arranged for the reception of the projection d. To the inner side of the side piece, B, near the post A', are secured two parallel upright cases, E E, in each of which slides a box, F, closed at the top and open at the side, the two boxes being connected together at the bottom by a plate, e. A lng,1`, projects fiom the inside of each case through the opening at the side ot' the box into the latter, and between the lug and the top ot' the box is a spring, m. At the inside ofthe side piece, B, near the post A, is a block, G, in which is a recess, 7a, and on the inside of the opposite side piece is a corresponding block, as well as anotherpair of cases similar to the cases E. On each plate c rests one end of a strip, H, and in the recess kh of each block Gr rests one end of a similar strip, II', and to both strij s are secured by pins f a number Vof slats, I, in such a manner that the slats can turn on the pins f and be folded together, as shown in Fig'. 4.

Various dovetailed projections, fitting in dovetailed recesses, have hitherto been employed for connectingthe side pieces and posts of bedsteads, but all have proved objectionable from being unsuitable for bedsteads of large size,and from the fact that it has been necessary to make the openings larger than the dovetailed projections which tit i-nto them, there being ccnsequently an unoccupied space in which insects may collect.

By the abovedescribed device the posts and side strips of bedsteads of the largest size may be readily and securely fastened together. It will be seen that, owing to the dovetailed form of the projection d, the side piece cannot be drawn laterally from the post,while the wedgeshaped form of the projection causes the post and side piece to be drawn closer together as the weight on the side piece is increased. As the projections a and d coincide exactly with the depressions in the plates U and D', it will be apparent that no crevice will be left in which insects may collect.

In place of the plate C and its projection a., a plate with a projection similar to the projection d may be used where the width ofthe side piece will admit of it.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to claim, broadly, the use of dovetailed projections iitting into corresponding recesses for the purpose of securing' together theposts and side pieces of bedsteads, but

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The plate D, with its projection d, and the plate 1)', With its depression or recess, when the said projection and recess are formed and adapted to euch other, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUSTUS DOERING.

Witnesses GHARLEs E. FOSTER, JOHN WHITE. 

